Punching machine



Nov. 27, 1934.

N. S. WELK PUNCHING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY w Nov. 27, 1934. N. s. WELK 1,981,932

PUNCHING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS! ATTORN EY Nov. 27,1934. N. s. WELK 1,931,932

PUNCHING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NEY NOV. 27, 1934. 5 w K 1,981,932

PUNCHING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W it Q B a) W KA RNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Nelson s. Welk, Athens; Ohio, assignor to The McBee Company, Athens, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 25, 1933, Serial No. 682,042

9Claims.

My invention relates to that class of machines which are designed to punch cards of the type described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,544,172, to Perkins. As described in this patent, the invention consists in providing the sheets, cards, tallies, checks or equivalents with one or more series of perforations of any convenient size, or shape, adjacent one or more edges thereof, then cutting away the card from one or more of said perforations to the edge thereof to leave an open ended slot and then passing one or more separating devices through the holes of all the cards corresponding to that or those so cut away whereby all those cards not so cut away will be moved in relation to that or those which have been so treated whereby the sorting is effected. It is obvious that to be efiective a machine must be provided with some kind of indicia corresponding to the indicia printed on the cards to indicate certain holes so that the various punches may be correctly set before they are operated.

My invention has for its object to provide a construction for a machine which will enable the operator by the manipulation of the keys on a key board to free the required punches and no others so that upon the operation of the lever actuating the punches only such punches as will perforate or cut the designated portion of the card will be moved.

A further object is to provide a construction which will permit the keys to remain depressed so that the operator can determine in advance just which punches will be actuated.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawings which are hereunto annexed and made a part hereof, in

which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with the punch in neutral position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the machine, some of the key levers being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the stop in position for keeping the keys depressed so as to repeat the same punching;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the stop in position for raising the keys when the same punching is not to be repeated;

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views showing the complete operation of the punch detent; and

Fig. 10 is a front view of one of the cards.

I Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entire description,

As shown in the drawings, I provide a casing 1, the upper portion of which has a card receiving slot, the casing being provided with a key board which is equipped with a number of keys 2, which are suitably riveted to key levers 3; and as shown the rivet 6 forms a rigid connection. The keys may be provided with alphabetical or numerical indicia to designate corresponding portions of a card 4.

As illustrated this card 4 is provided with one or more series of holes 5, the numerical designations of said holes and of saidseries varying according to the number or purpose of the cards and the number of sortings required. The spaces 37 between the holes and the edges of the card are to be punched or notched out in order to be used as described in the Perkins patent above referred to. The key levers 3 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 7. At the end of the shaft 7 is mounted a coil spring 35, the tension of which prevents thev keys 2 from droppingdown. Suitable spacing washers or discs 36 are placed on said shaft 'Iintermediate the key levers 3.

Each one of the key levers 3 is in register with one of a plurality of punch operators 9, the inner end 8 of the key lever abuts the lower end oi. its corresponding punch operator. These punch operators are mounted upon a shaft 10 which passes through a slot 11 formed near the top of the punch operators 9; this slot permits both pivotal and longitudinal movement of the punch operator with respect to the rod 10. Each punch operator 9 is provided with a rearwardly projecting portion 12 which has a cut-out portion and a downwardly depending punch withdrawing hook 9 or lug 13. Immediately below the slot, in the upper portion of the casing, I mount a die 16 which has a slot 17 in register with the slot formed in the top portion of the casing and is adapted to receive the card 4. In the die are slidably mounted punches 15, one for each of the punch operators. These punches are provided with an upwardly extending lug 14 formed on the end of the punch which extends into the cutout portion of the punch operator. The punch operator 9 is provided with a punch withdrawing lug 13 which is adapted to engage the upwardly extending lug 14 on the end of the punch 15. A punch actuating shoulder 9' is formed on the punch operator and is adapted to engage the end of the punch 15. Adjacent the lower end of each punch operator is a link 18 which is pivotally attached thereto. The other end of the link is pivotally secured to an arm 19 of a bell crank lever 20 which is mounted upon a shaft 21. A lever 23 is fixedly secured to the end of the shaft 21 so that the swinging of the lever 23 through an arc will rock the shaft 21 and, in turn, the arms 19 and 25 of the bell cranks 20. A rod 24 passes through the arms and has a plurality of washers mounted thereon which contact with the link 18 on the extreme movement of the arm 25. Coil springs 26 are mounted one at each end of the casing 1, and serve to hold the keys 2 and lever 23 in normal position.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming the parts are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 6, when it has been determined which of the spaces 37 are to be notched then the operator depresses the key bearing indicia corresponding to the designation of the holes adjacent the spaces which are to be punched or notched out. The depressing of a key rocks the key lever 3 on the shaft 7, raising the end 8 of the key lever 3. This elevates the punch operator 9 which is in register with such key lever, moving it to the second position clearly shown in Fig. 7. An examination of Fig. 7 shows that at thispoint in the operation the punch operator has been moved upwardly on the rod 10, bringing the punch actuating shoulder 9 in position to engage the end of the punch 15 when the punch operator is swung upon the shaft 10. The lever 23 is then moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8. Such movement swings the arm 19 through its arc of movement and the link 18 will swing the punch operator upon. the shaft 10,

causing the shoulder 9' to advance the punch 15 which is in register with the depressed key, the card being correspondingly notched. Continued downward movement of the lever 23 moves the punch operator 9 down to the position shown in Fig. 9, at which time the punch actuating shoulder 9' is out of engagement with the end of the punch.

In some cases it is desirable to repeat the punching operation without having to again depress the keys where this is desired. To do this, it is only necessary to prevent the movement of the lever through the last few degrees of its are because such movement serves to move the punch actuating shoulder 9' down and out of register with the end of the punch. It may be accomplished by means of the mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, in which I provide a pivoted stop 30 mounted upon a pin 31. A wire 32 extends from the lower corner 33 of the pivoted stop 30 to the exterior of the casing l. A handle 34 is suitably secured to the outer end of the wire 32. It will be clearly seen from an inspection of Figs. 4 and 5 that when the wire 32 is drawn outwardly that the stop 30 will swing on its pivot pin 31, to the position shown in Fig. 4 and that in this position it is impossible to move the punch operator 9 any further downwardly so as to bring the punch actuating shoulder 9' out of the position in which it can engage the end of the punch 15, although the lever-23 may be freely moved up and down above this point, thereby swinging the punch operator back and forth upon shaft 10 and causing the punch 15 to be withdrawn and advanced each time the lever is raised and lowered. To release the key the wire 32 is pushed in and the pivoted stop is swung on its pin 31 to the position shown in Fig. 5.

Having described my invention what I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, an upwardly extending lug on one end of each punch, a shaft secured to the :end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, each punch operator having a cut-out portion into which the end of its registering punch extends, a punch withdrawing lug which engages the lug on the punch and a punch actuating shoulder, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing, a rock shaft to which the lever is secured, and linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punches.

2. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, a shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, cooperating means to advance and withdraw said punches when the punch operator swings on its shaft, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing and a rock shaft to which it is secured, and linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punch.

3. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, an upwardly extending lug on one end of each punch, a shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, each punch operator having a cut-out portion into which the end of its registering punch extends, a punch withdrawing lug which engages the lug on the punch and a punch actuating shoulder, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing, a rock shaft to which the lever is secured, linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punches, and manually operable means outside of the casing to actuate said punch operators.

4. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, a shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, cooperating means to advance and withdraw said punches when the punch operator swings on its shaft, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing and a rock shaft to which it is secured, linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punch, and manually operable means outside of the casing to actuate said punch operators.

5. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, an upwardly extending lug on one end of each punch, a shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, each punch operator having a cut-out portion into which the end of its registering punch extends, a punch withdrawing lug which engages the lug on the punch and a punch actuating shoulder, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing, a rock shaft to which the lever is secured, a plurality of bell cranks on said rock shaft, and a plurality of links each of which is pivotally connected to one arm of the bell crank lever and the lower end of a punch arm, whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operators to advance and withdraw the punches, the other arm of the bell crank operating to restore the keysto their normal position.

6. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, an upwardly extending lug on one end of each punch, a shaft secured to theend walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, each punch operator having a cut-out portion into which the end of its registering punch extends, a punch withdrawing lug which engages the lug on the punch and a punch actuating shoulder, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, a lever shaft, a plurality of key levers, one for each key, pivotally mounted on said shaft, one end of which is adapted to abut the lower end of a punch operator and to elevate it when the key is depressed, a lever outside of the casing, a rock shaft to which the lever is secured, and linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punches.

7. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, 9. casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, an upwardly extending lug on one end of each punch, a shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted-upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, each punch operator having a cut-out portion into which the end of its registering punch extends, a punch withdrawing lug which engages the lug on the punch and a punch actuating shoulder, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing, a rock shaft to which the lever is secured, linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punches, and means to limit the extent of movement of said rock shaft.

8. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, a die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, a'shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, cooperating means to advance and withdraw said punches when the punch operator swings on its shaft, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside 'of the casing and a rock shaft to which it is secured, linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punch, and means to limit the extent of movement of said rock shaft.

9. In a machine of the character described for punching a card bearing certain indicia, a casing therefor having a card receiving slot, 9. die below said slot with a corresponding slot in register therewith, a plurality of punches slidably mounted in said die, an upwardly extending lug on one end of each punch, a shaft secured to the end walls of the casing, a plurality of punch operators, one for each punch, mounted upon said shaft to permit pivotal and longitudinal movement of each punch operator, each punch operator having a cut-out portion into which the end of its registering punch extends, a punch withdrawing lug which engages the lug on the punch and a punch actuating shoulder, a plurality of keys, one for each punch operator, mechanism to cause the depression of a key to elevate a punch operator, a lever outside of the casing, a rock shaft to which the lever is secured, linkage to connect said shaft to the lower end of said punch operator whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause the punch operator to advance and withdraw the punches, means to limit the extent of movement of said rock shaft, said means comprising a pivoted stop, a pin upon which said stop swings, and manually operable means whereby said stop can be caused to abut one arm of the bell crank lever to limit its movement.

NELSON S. WELK. 

